This study will be conducted in approximately 468 HIV-1 infected antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve subjects. Subjects will be randomized 1:1 to receive dolutegravir (DTG) 50 mg once daily (approximately 234 subjects) or darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r) 800 mg/100 mg once daily (approximately 234 subjects), each in combination with fixed-dose dual nucleoside reverse transriptase inhibitor (NRTI) therapy (either abacavir/lamivudine (ABC/3TC) or tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC). Subjects will be stratified by screening HIV-1 RNA and background NRTI selection. The primary analysis will take place after the last subject completes 48 weeks on therapy; an additional analysis will be conducted after the last subject completes Week 96 on study.

The percentage of participants with Plasma Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) <50 c/mL at Week 48 was assessed using Missing, Switch or Discontinuation = Failure (MSDF), as codified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "snapshot" algorithm. This algorithm treated all participants without HIV-1 RNA data at Week 48 as nonresponders, as well as participants who switched their concomitant ART prior to Week 48 as follows: background ART substitutions non-permitted per protocol (one background ART substitution was permitted for safety or tolerability); background ART substitutions permitted per protocol unless the decision to switch was documented as being before or at the first on-treatment visit where HIV-1 RNA was assessed. Otherwise, virologic success or failure was determined by the last available HIV-1 RNA assessment while the participant was on-treatment in the snapshot window (Week 48 +/- 6 weeks).

Secondary Outcome Measures:

Time to Virologic Suppression (<50 Copies/mL) Through Week 48 [ Time Frame: From Baseline through Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

The time to viral suppression (i.e. first viral load value <50 copies/mL) through Week 48 was derived and summarized using Kaplan-Meier plots. Participants who withdrew for any reason without having suppressed prior to the analysis were censored. Confidence intervals were estimated using the Brookmeyer-Crowley method.

The percentage of participants with Plasma Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) <400 c/mL at Week 48 was assessed using Missing, Switch or Discontinuation = Failure (MSDF), as codified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "snapshot" algorithm. This algorithm treated all participants without HIV-1 RNA data at Week 48 as nonresponders, as well as participants who switched their concomitant ART prior to Week 48 as follows: background ART substitutions non-permitted per protocol (one background ART substitution was permitted for safety or tolerability); background ART substitutions permitted per protocol unless the decision to switch was documented as being before or at the first on-treatment visit where HIV-1 RNA was assessed. Otherwise, virologic success or failure was determined by the last available HIV-1 RNA assessment while the participant was on-treatment in the snapshot window (Week 48 +/- 6 weeks).

Change From Baseline in CD4+ and CD8+ Cell Counts [ Time Frame: Baseline and Weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 36 and 48 for CD4+ and Baseline and Weeks 4, 12, 24 and 48 for CD8+ ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Change from Baseline in CD4+ cell counts was assessed at Weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 36 and 48. Change from Baseline in CD8+ cell counts was assessed at Weeks 4, 12, 24 and 48. Change from Baseline was calculated as the post-Baseline value minus the Baseline value.

Number of Participants With HIV-1 Associated Disease Progression With the Indicated Shift to CDC Class C, or New CDC Class C or Death at Week 48 [ Time Frame: Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

The number of participants with HIV-1 disease progression (AIDS or death) was assessed per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1993 revised classification system for HIV infection and expanded surveillance case definition for AIDS among adolescents and adults. The CDC classifies HIV infection as Category A (participants with asymptomatic HIV infection, acute HIV infection with accompanying illness, or persistent generalized lymphadenopathy), Category B (participants with symptomatic non-AIDS condition, i.e., conditions that are attributed to HIV infection or are indicative of a defect in cell-mediated immunity; or conditions are considered by physicians to have a clinical course or to require management that is complicated by HIV infection), and Category C (includes AIDS indicator conditions as defined by diagnostic or presumptive measures).

Percentage of Participants With Grade 2 or Higher Abnormalities in Fasting LDL Cholesterol Through Week 48 [ Time Frame: From Baseline through Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Hematology and clinical chemistry data were summarized according to the division of AIDS (DAIDS) table for grading the Severity of adverse events, version 1.0. Grade 1, Mild; Grade 2, Moderate; Grade 3 (G3), Severe; Grade 4 (G4), Life-threatening or disabling; Grade 5, Death. Data are presented for which an increase in fasting LDL cholesterol to Grade 2 or higher occurred.

Number of Participants With the Indicated Grade 3 and Grade 4 Maximum Post-Baseline Chemistry and Hematology Laboratory Toxicities [ Time Frame: From Baseline through Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Hematology and clinical chemistry data were summarized according to the division of AIDS (DAIDS) table for grading the Severity of adverse events, version 1.0. Grade 1, Mild; Grade 2, Moderate; Grade 3 (G3), Severe; Grade 4 (G4), Life-threatening or disabling; Grade 5, Death. Data are presented for only those parameters for which an increase to Grade 3 or Grade 4 occurred.

Number of Participants (Par.) With Detectable Virus That Has Genotypic or Phenotypic Evidence of Treatment-emergent Resistance to DTG, DRV+RTV and Other On-study ART at Time of Protocol Defined Virology Failure (PDVF) [ Time Frame: Baseline until PDVF up to Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

An assessment was made of every change across all amino acids within the integrase (IN), reverse transcriptase (RT), and Protease (PRO) encoding region at Baseline and at time of suspected PDVF. PDVF is defined as the confirmed plasma HIV-1 RNA >200 c/mL >=Week 24.

SDM is a 20-item self-reported measure that addresses the presence and perceived distress linked to symptoms commonly associated with HIV or its treatment. Each item is rated from 0 to 4 where 0 (complete absence of symptom) and 4 (very bothersome symptom). Overall score calculated as the sum of the scores for each of the 20 items of the questionnaire and ranged from 0 (best health) and 80 (worst health). Values represented are for adjusted mean. Estimates are calculated from an ANCOVA model adjusting for age, sex, race, baseline viral load, background dual NRTI therapy and baseline symptom bother score. Change from Baseline was calculated as the post-Baseline value minus the Baseline value. A positive change from Baseline indicates a decline in a participant's quality of life over that period.

The European Quality of Life -5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) is a 5-question quality of life instrument that provides a utility score and visual analogue scale score that describes the participants' health status. The primary reason for including the EQ-5D is to elicit utility values for potential cost-effectiveness analysis for submission to health technology assessment agencies. The EQ-5D total score ranges from 0 (worst health state) to 1 (perfect health state) and 1 reflects the best outcome. Values represented are for adjusted mean. Estimates are calculated from an ANCOVA model adjusting for age, sex, race, baseline viral load, background dual NRTI therapy and Baseline EQ-5D utility score. Change from Baseline was calculated as the post-Baseline value minus the Baseline value.

The European Quality of Life -5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) is a 5-question quality of life instrument that provides a utility score and visual analogue scale score that describes the participants' health status. The primary reason for including the EQ-5D is to elicit utility values for potential cost-effectiveness analysis for submission to health technology assessment agencies. Thermometer score is based on a visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 100 (best imaginable health state) to 0 (worst imaginable health state).Values represented are for adjusted mean. Estimates are calculated from an ANCOVA model adjusting for age, sex, race, Baseline viral load, background dual NRTI therapy and Baseline EQ-5D thermometer score. Change from Baseline was calculated as the post-Baseline value minus the Baseline value.

ING114915 is a Phase IIIb randomized, open-label, active-controlled, multicentre, parallel group, fully-powered non-inferiority study. The study will be conducted in approximately 468 HIV-1 infected ART-naïve subjects. Subjects will be randomized 1:1 to receive DTG 50 mg once daily (approximately 234 subjects) or DRV/r 800 mg/100 mg once daily (approximately 234 subjects), each in combination with fixed-dose dual NRTI therapy (either ABC/3TC or TDF/FTC). The primary analysis will take place after the last subject completes 48 weeks on therapy; an additional analysis will be conducted after the last subject completes Week 96 on study.

Subjects who fulfil eligibility requirements will be randomized 1:1 to receive DTG 50 mg once daily or DRV/r 800 mg/100 mg once daily. In order to achieve balance across the two treatment groups of the study, randomization will be stratified by: screening plasma HIV-1 RNA >/ 100,000 copies/mL (c/mL) or > 100,000 c/mL and background dual NRTI (ABC/3TC or TDF/FTC) The DTG and DRV/r doses will be administered in an open-label fashion throughout the study.

Subjects randomized to receive DTG and who successfully complete 96 weeks of treatment will continue to have access to DTG until either it is locally approved and commercially available, the patient no longer derives clinical benefit, the patient meets a protocol-defined reason for discontinuation or until development of DTG is terminated. Subjects randomized to the DRV/r arm will receive DRV/r through their Week 96 visit, after which they will be discontinued from the study and will need to make alternative arrangements to access antiretroviral medication. All subjects will receive background dual-NRTI therapy through their Week 96 visit.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

HIV-1 infected adults greater than or equal to 18 years of age. Females are eligible to enter and participate in the study if she is (1) non-childbearing potential, (2) child bearing potential with negative pregnancy test at screening and Day 1 and agrees to use protocol-specified methods of birth control while on study.

HIV-1 infection with a screening plasma HIV-1 RNA greater than or equal to 1000copies/mL

Antiretroviral-naïve (less than or equal to 10 days of prior therapy with any antiretroviral agent following a diagnosis of HIV-1 infection)

Signed and dated written informed consent is obtained from the subject or the subject's legal representative prior to screening

Subjects with moderate to severe hepatic impairment (Class B or C) as determined by Child-Pugh classification

Anticipated need for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy during the study

History or presence of allergy or intolerance to the study drugs or their components or drugs of their class

History of malignancy within the past 5 years or ongoing malignancy other than cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma, basal cell carcinoma, or resected, non-invasive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma; other localized malignancies require agreement between the investigator and the Study medical monitor for inclusion of the subject

Treatment with an HIV-1 immunotherapeutic vaccine within 90 days of Screening

Treatment with any of the following agents within 28 days of Screening: radiation therapy; cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents; any immunomodulators

Treatment with any agent, except recognized ART as allowed above, with documented activity against HIV-1 in vitro within 28 days of first dose of investigational product

Exposure to an experimental drug or experimental vaccine within either 28 days, 5 half-lives of the test agent, or twice the duration of the biological effect of the test agent, whichever is longer, prior to the first dose of investigational product

Any evidence of primary viral resistance based on the presence of any major resistance-associated mutation [IAS-USA, 2010] in the Screening result or, if known, any historical resistance test result

Any verified Grade 4 laboratory abnormality. Any acute laboratory abnormality at Screening, which, in the opinion of the Investigator, would preclude the subject's participation in the study of an investigational compound is exclusionary

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) greater than 5 times the upper limit of normal

ALT greater than 3 times the upper limit of normal and bilirubin greater than or equal to 1.5 times the upper limit of normal (with greater than 35% direct bilirubin)

Subject has creatinine clearance of less than 50 mL/min via Cockroft-Gault method

Recent history (less than or equal to 3 months) of any upper or lower gastrointestinal bleed, with the exception of anal or rectal bleeding

Contacts and Locations

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Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01449929